Training Industry Magazine - May/June 2021 - 11

STELLA LEE, PH.D.

WHAT'S NEXT
IN TECH

UPSKILLING AND RESKILLING
IS THE FUTURE OF L&D

Upskilling and reskilling the workforce
has been a long time coming. The impact
of artificial intelligence (AI), automation
and robotics, as well as the ongoing
COVID-19 crisis, on employment has
accelerated this need as the world
of work continues to evolve. In fact,
according to the L&D Global Sentiment
Survey, reskilling and upskilling was
cited as the overwhelming response to
the question " How will your L&D work
change in 2021 as a result of COVID-19? "
With the increased workload and
rapid change in both technology and
economy, how can we better support
upskilling and reskilling efforts? To start,
we should consider the following:

TO SERVE CUSTOMERS
VIRTUALLY, PEOPLE
NEED TO LEARN IN
THE FLOW OF WORK.
PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE AND
INDIVIDUALIZED TRAINING PLAN
Each person's need for upskilling and
reskilling is different. In addition to
a skill gap analysis, take your target
learners' context into consideration.
Gather people analytics and learning
analytics, review their current situations,
credentials, skills, interests, career
goals and life experiences. An effective
upskill and reskill plan needs to be
employee-centered, context-specific
and personalized. It needs to be based
on the balance between the learners'
professional goals and the employers'
needs. Leverage learning technologies
that support personalized and adaptive

learning, and build on the learners'
existing technical, transferable skills
and experiences.
PROVIDE " JUST-IN-TIME "
PERFORMANCE SUPPORT
RESOURCES
During the pandemic, many of us have
been shifting our work and interaction
from in-person to virtual. As a result,
people need to adjust work practices
and adopt new technologies rapidly
without much guidance. To successfully
work with remote teams, participate
in projects using different tools and
techniques, and to serve customers
virtually, people need to learn in the
flow of work. " Just-in-time " performance
support means that we are focusing
on the learners' needs as they arise
and provide resources accordingly, as
opposed to offering pre-scheduled,
topical training events. We need to
leverage existing digital platforms and
apps that people already have installed
on their phones. For example, make use
of instant messaging apps to quickly
guide people through a new process
or coach people through a particularly
challenging set of tasks.
KNOWLEDGE SHARING GOES
A LONG WAY
Set up your digital platforms to encourage
knowledge sharing at all levels of the
workforce. As people transition into new
roles and tasks, not only do they need
access to job-relevant information, but
they can also contribute to the lessons
learned and add their own insights
and tips to the platforms. In this time of
change, people need to be empowered

to develop a community of knowledge
and best practices. Many learning
management systems (LMSs), social
networking platforms, and company
intranets already have components that
can be used as a collaborative knowledge
base. Use these tools as a starting point
and focus on building up content, making
it accessible to individuals and fostering
a culture of sharing.
COLLABORATE WITH EMPLOYERS
TO GAIN INSIGHTS
If you are an in-house L&D unit,
collaborate with business units to
formulate a reskill and upskill plan for
the employees of the organization. The
business units will be able to identify
specific skills needed and share which
business processes have changed. If
you are an external or independent
learning professional, find opportunities
to consult with employers. Employers
will be able to provide insights on
current employment trends that you can
incorporate into your training design.
As the need for upskilling and
reskilling continues, L&D can lead the
change
in
enhancing
people's
employability, improving their capabilities,
transitioning people into new roles
and being responsive to changing
industry demands.
Dr. Stella Lee has over 20 years of
experience in consulting, planning,
designing, implementing and measuring
learning initiatives. Her focus is on
large-scale learning projects including
LMS evaluation and implementation,
learning analytics, and artificial intelligent
applications. Email Stella.

T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MAGAZ INE - CLOSING SKILLS GAPS I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE

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https://slejournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40561-019-0089-y https://donaldhtaylor.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/GSS-2021-Report-v1.2.pdf https://donaldhtaylor.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/GSS-2021-Report-v1.2.pdf https://www.toolbox.com/hr/hr-analytics/articles/what-is-people-analytics/ https://www.trainingindustry.com/wiki/measurement-and-analytics/learning-analytics/ https://www.trainingindustry.com/wiki/measurement-and-analytics/learning-analytics/ https://slejournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40561-019-0089-y https://www.trainingindustry.com/magazine

Training Industry Magazine - May/June 2021

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